Example Stories from Families

The Story

Sarah lives across the country from her 85-year-old mother, who struggles with smartphones. Despite wanting to stay connected, traditional communication methods were challenging. Phone calls were good, but Sarah wanted to share daily moments - photos of her children, updates about their lives, simple messages of love and connection. Sarah wanted to help her mother feel more connected to the family.

The Problem

• •Distance: Sarah lives across the country from her mother
• •Technology barriers: Her 85-year-old mother struggles with smartphones
• •Limited communication: Phone calls weren't enough to share daily moments
• •Need for simple communication: Wanting a simple way to share daily updates
• •Desire for connection: Wanting to share daily updates and photos

The Solution

Sarah set up a frame in her mother's kitchen and connected it to FamilyNotes. The setup was simple - Sarah created her family, invited herself and her siblings, and connected the frame using a QR code. Now, every day, Sarah sends messages and photos of her children - "Good morning, Mom! The kids say hi!" with a photo from breakfast. Her siblings can also send updates, creating a continuous stream of family connection.

The Outcome

Her mother sees these messages automatically rotating on the frame throughout the day, staying connected without ever touching a device. The frame sits on the kitchen counter, showing a beautiful rotating display of family updates. Photos of grandchildren automatically appear, bringing smiles throughout the day.

The Story

The Johnson family is spread across three states - grandparents in Ohio, parents in California, and children in college in New York. They wanted a way to stay connected year-round, not just during holidays when everyone could gather in person. They set up a frame at their grandparents' house, where the whole family gathers for holidays. The frame sits in the living room, a central gathering place where everyone naturally congregates.

The Problem

• •Geographic distance: Family members in three different states
• •Limited in-person time: Only see each other during holidays
• •Desire for year-round connection: Want to stay connected between visits
• •Multiple family members: Need a way for everyone to contribute
• •Central location: Grandparents' house as the family gathering place

The Solution

Family members send messages and photos year-round - updates from college, new baby photos, holiday greetings, everyday moments. The frame becomes a living, updating family bulletin board that keeps everyone connected, even when they're far apart. Each family member can send messages from wherever they are - the college student shares campus life, the parents share updates about work and life, and everyone shares special moments and milestones.

The Outcome

When the family visits, they see all the messages that have been shared, creating a sense of connection and togetherness. The frame serves as a family communication hub. Even when family members can't be together physically, they feel connected through the continuous stream of updates.

The Story

Maria is a caregiver for her elderly father. She lives nearby and visits daily, but other family members live in different cities and can't visit regularly. They all want to stay informed about their father's well-being and feel connected to his daily life. Maria needed a simple way to share updates with the whole family without the complexity of group texts or social media. She wanted something that would be easy for her to use while managing care responsibilities, and something that would help distant family members feel more connected.

The Problem

• •Care coordination: Need to keep multiple family members informed
• •Distance: Other family members can't visit regularly
• •Time constraints: Caregiver needs simple, quick communication method
• •Desire for connection: Family members want to stay involved
• •Technical barriers: Need something simple that doesn't require learning new apps

The Solution

Maria uses FamilyNotes to post daily updates and photos to a frame in her father's room. The simple interface reduces technical barriers - she can quickly post a message and photo, and it appears on the display immediately. Other family members can see all communications, staying informed about their father's well-being. The frame sits in her father's room, providing visual updates that are easy to check at a glance.

The Outcome

The simple interface reduces technical barriers, and the frame provides visual updates that are easy to check at a glance. Family members who can't visit regularly feel more connected, seeing photos and updates that help them stay involved in their loved one's daily life.